Casual Labourers Down Tools at Pioneer Affordable Housing Site Over Pay Delays
“When contacted, site supervisor Kiptoo Leonard Kiptanui acknowledged the delays but downplayed the situation”
An aerial view of the Pioneer Affordable Housing project in Kapseret, Eldoret, a flagship initiative under President William Ruto’s national housing programme aimed at delivering over 2,000 housing units to address Kenya’s urban housing demand.
By Hubz Media Reporter
Construction activities at the Pioneer Affordable Housing project in Eldoret’s Kapseret Constituency were disrupted on Monday after casual laborer’s staged a go-slow, protesting delayed wages.
The workers claim they have not been paid for the past two weeks, prompting many to down their tools in frustration. The development threatens to slow progress on one of President William Ruto’s flagship affordable housing projects.
“We have worked diligently, but for two weeks now, we have not received any pay,” said Bonface Wanyama, one of the affected laborer’s. “Many of us depend on this job for daily survival. We have no choice but to stop working until we are paid.”
Several workers who spoke to Hubzmedia accused a subcontracted firm of failing to remit their wages on time, raising concerns over possible financial mismanagement. The laborers warned that continued delays could further stall the project, which is already operating under tight completion timelines.
When contacted, site supervisor Kiptoo Leonard Kiptanui acknowledged the delays but downplayed the situation, attributing the issue to payment processing challenges.
“There have been some delays in disbursements, but the matter is being handled with the relevant banking institutions,” he said.
However, the response has done little to calm tensions on site. Some workers have now called on Kapseret Member of Parliament Oscar Sudi to intervene, expressing fears that funds allocated for wages could have been misappropriated.
“We are appealing to our MP to step in and ensure we are paid,” another worker said. “We suspect something is not right, and we need transparency from the contractors.”
The Pioneer Affordable Housing project is a major government-backed initiative expected to deliver 2,105 housing units in Eldoret City. It forms part of the national Affordable Housing Program aimed at addressing Kenya’s housing deficit while creating employment opportunities.
With construction now slowed due to the labor dispute, concerns are mounting over potential delays in meeting project deadlines, underscoring the critical need for timely wage payments and effective oversight of subcontractors.
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